21 August 2006

Proposal regarding return of church property in Kosovo remains unchangedBelgrade, Aug 21, 2006 – The Serbian Negotiating Team for talks on Kosovo future status said in a statement that the proposal they had stated at the Vienna talks on July 18 regarding the return of the property that the Serbian Orthodox Church used to own in Kosovo, did not undergo any changes.News headlines saying that the team had sent a demand to the provisional Kosovo parliament, especially a demand that the parliament pass lex specialis on the return of property only to the Serbian Orthodox Church, are completely unfounded and occurred as a result of a misunderstanding. The statement adds that in his address on July 24 in Vienna, Serbian President Boris Tadic presented the proposal in a concise way."As for the return of property to the Serbian Orthodox Church, our delegation put forward a precise compromise formula on July 18, which if adopted, could help to solve this issue. Provisional institutions would accept the principle of the return of church property and make a pledge to return a portion of church property which is now used as public property and is situated within the protected zones around monasteries and other monuments. The property would be returned if in the envisioned course of several months the Bill on restitution is passed in Kosovo-Metohija. Other church property now used as public property and situated within the agreed protected zones, would be immediately bought by the Serbian Orthodox Church at the market price", said Tadic.top of the page

Having tried all the other stock options - from war to economic pressure - a new plan now tries to lure Transnistria into Moldova with an economic carrot and stick policy. The plan is a repeat of a failed 1924 experiment from the Soviet Union. Here, columnist John Moynihan explains why it won't work.

In a new article, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that multilateral diplomacy based on international law should manage regional and global relations. Transnistria has repeatedly asked the world community to evaluate its claim to statehood based on an objective analysis of the facts in the context of international law. Will Russia (and Transnistria) be "contained", as some in the West want, or will international law be the guiding principle of relations between peoples?

Jesus Christ was a Communist. And, according to Moldova's president Vladimir Voronin, there is nothing in the Bible which criticizes Communism. The former Soviet-era General also told his country's priests that they "had no choice but to vote for the communists."

Michael Kirby scored a diplomatic "hole in one" during Wednesday's visit to Pridnestrovie's capital. The American Ambassador held firm on his country's anti-independence position but was nevertheless well received by youth in Tiraspol. Breakthrough leadership called the meeting positive and bestowed flowers on the US diplomat.

After Russian suspension of the CFE treaty, no troop pullout is imminent and Transdniestria peacekeeping operations will continue with Russian participation. Four sides currently supply peacekeeping troops to the multilateral force. In addition, the 56-member state OSCE also participates in the peacekeeping process with military observers.

Politicians in different "frozen conflicts" in the former Soviet Union are following Kosovo's developments closely. In Nagorno Karabakh, they are seen as a way to achieve recognition under a new scenario. And in Transdniestria, the President stated that his country has a stronger historical and legal case for independence than Kosovo.

A presidential election in the unrecognized Nagorno Karabakh Republic is shaping up to be a battle between local democraticy and international double standards. On one hand, observers and analysts consider Nagorno Karabakh's democracy to be stronger than in neighboring countries. Nevertheless, the international community refuses to recognize the right of local residents to democratically choose their political leaders.

Russia is not a key player in Northern Ireland conflict settlement, so why is it realistic to expect the EU or the USA to be key players in reaching status settlement over Pridnestrovie? Mike Averko, a New York based independent foreign policy analyst and media critic, takes a sobering look at Russia's role in the region.

Russian company Inter RAO UES has started exporting electricity from its power plant in Transnistria (officially Pridnestrovie). It is the first time in more than twenty years that the plant supplies Romania with electricity. The plant has capacity to supply more than ten times of the electricity that Transnistria uses.

newseconomyMon, 16 Jul 2007 09:38:36 -0500Times staff1083 at http://www.tiraspoltimes.com
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PMR property reform seen as way to more economic freedom for poor
http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/news/pmr_property_reform_seen_as_way_to_more_economic_freedom_for_poor.html

The backers of a new law on private property reforms see it as a way to boost economic freedom. Aimed at giving the poor and rural population legal title to their homes, it is based on a wealth creation roadmap by Hernando de Soto. The Peruvian economist specifically had post-Soviet countries in mind when he developed the plan.

Having tried all the other stock options - from war to economic pressure - a new plan now tries to lure Transnistria into Moldova with an economic carrot and stick policy. The plan is a repeat of a failed 1924 experiment from the Soviet Union. Here, columnist John Moynihan explains why it won't work.

In a new article, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that multilateral diplomacy based on international law should manage regional and global relations. Transnistria has repeatedly asked the world community to evaluate its claim to statehood based on an objective analysis of the facts in the context of international law. Will Russia (and Transnistria) be "contained", as some in the West want, or will international law be the guiding principle of relations between peoples?

Jesus Christ was a Communist. And, according to Moldova's president Vladimir Voronin, there is nothing in the Bible which criticizes Communism. The former Soviet-era General also told his country's priests that they "had no choice but to vote for the communists."

Michael Kirby scored a diplomatic "hole in one" during Wednesday's visit to Pridnestrovie's capital. The American Ambassador held firm on his country's anti-independence position but was nevertheless well received by youth in Tiraspol. Breakthrough leadership called the meeting positive and bestowed flowers on the US diplomat.

After Russian suspension of the CFE treaty, no troop pullout is imminent and Transdniestria peacekeeping operations will continue with Russian participation. Four sides currently supply peacekeeping troops to the multilateral force. In addition, the 56-member state OSCE also participates in the peacekeeping process with military observers.

Politicians in different "frozen conflicts" in the former Soviet Union are following Kosovo's developments closely. In Nagorno Karabakh, they are seen as a way to achieve recognition under a new scenario. And in Transdniestria, the President stated that his country has a stronger historical and legal case for independence than Kosovo.

A presidential election in the unrecognized Nagorno Karabakh Republic is shaping up to be a battle between local democraticy and international double standards. On one hand, observers and analysts consider Nagorno Karabakh's democracy to be stronger than in neighboring countries. Nevertheless, the international community refuses to recognize the right of local residents to democratically choose their political leaders.

Russia is not a key player in Northern Ireland conflict settlement, so why is it realistic to expect the EU or the USA to be key players in reaching status settlement over Pridnestrovie? Mike Averko, a New York based independent foreign policy analyst and media critic, takes a sobering look at Russia's role in the region.

Russian company Inter RAO UES has started exporting electricity from its power plant in Transnistria (officially Pridnestrovie). It is the first time in more than twenty years that the plant supplies Romania with electricity. The plant has capacity to supply more than ten times of the electricity that Transnistria uses.

newseconomyMon, 16 Jul 2007 09:38:36 -0500Times staff1083 at http://www.tiraspoltimes.com
-
PMR property reform seen as way to more economic freedom for poor
http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/news/pmr_property_reform_seen_as_way_to_more_economic_freedom_for_poor.html

The backers of a new law on private property reforms see it as a way to boost economic freedom. Aimed at giving the poor and rural population legal title to their homes, it is based on a wealth creation roadmap by Hernando de Soto. The Peruvian economist specifically had post-Soviet countries in mind when he developed the plan.